Hosiery and method of making the same



Oct. 8, 1940. fl ms 2,217,273

HDSIERY AND- METHOD'OF MAKING THE SAME I Filed Sept. 20, 1938 Inventor .flitor agg g constructed of weft knitted fabric, so

Patented Oct. 8, 1940 UNITED STATES ATE? FiCE 2,217,273 HOSKERY AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAlVIE Dwight J. Harris, Philadelphia, Pa.

7 Claims The present invention relates to hosiery and the method of making the same. More particularly, the invention pertains to knitted stockings, and has for one of its main objects the provision of a stocking consisting of weft knitted fabric sections associated in a novel manner to impart distinctive characteristics to the finished product, as shown and described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 183,275, filed January 4, 1938, of which the present application is a continuation in part.

Another important object of the invention resides in the provision of a stocking consisting of at least two sections so arranged with respect to each other that runs occurring in one of said sections are prevented from passing into the remaining section.

Still another object of the invention contemplates the provision of a stocking having a toe disposed that the wales thereof are directed transversely of the stocking, whereby a run occurring in said toe will travel across, and not lengthwise of, the stocking. Thus, such a run cannot pass beyond the toe and reach the leg portion where it would become visible.

The invention is especially characterized by the provision of a knitted stocking constructed of two united adjacent sections, the wale loops of one section being disposed to extend in a direction at substantially right angles to that of the wale loops of the remaining section.

It is a specific feature of the invention to provide a stocking having a toe fabric and instep and sole fabrics interknitted with one of the selvedge edges of the toe fabric whereby the wale loops in the toe fabric will extend transversely of the stocking, whereas the wale loops of the instep and sole fabrics will extend longitudinally of the stocking.

Other important objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In order that the invention and its mode of operation may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, I have in the accompanying drawing and in the detailed description based thereupon, set out possible embodiments of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 diagrammatically illustrates a stocking made in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged diagrammatic representation of the foot portion of the blank used in making the stocking illustrated in Figure 1.

1938, Serial N0. 230,753

Figure 3 is an enlarged diagrammatic representation of the loop formation in the foot portion illustrating a possible mode of interknitting the toe fabric with the remaining section of said portion.

Having more particular reference to the drawing wherein like characters of reference will designate corresponding parts throughout, I have shown in Figure l a finished knitted stocking I consisting of a welt fabric 2, a leg fabric 3, and m a foot fabric including the instep l, the heel 5, sole 6, and toe I. As will clearly appear from Figs. 1 and 2, the wale loops 8 of the toe fabric extend in a direction at substantially right angles to the wale loops '9 that is, the wale loops 3 of the toe extend transversely of the stocking, whereas the wale loops 9 of said instep and sole, as well as of the leg fabric extend longitudinally or lengthwise of the stocking. In this manner, shoulda run occur in any part of the toe, such a run will travel cross-wise of the stocking and not towards and into the leg where it would be visible.

The welt fabric 2, leg fabric 3 and foot fabric, exclusive of the toe, may be of any desired construction and may be interconnected in any suitable manner, but preferably are made and united in accordance with the invention set forth in my co-pending application aforesaid.

The toe l, in accordance with the showing made herein, consists of a knitted fabric body portion which, as already stated, has. its wales 8 running transversely and is suitably attached to the instep 4 and sole 6 of the stocking, the wales 9 of which run longitudinally. In other words, the wales of the toe extend substantially in the same direction as the courses of the instep and sole.

It will be understood that this latter construction may be had by knitting in the usual manner the leg and foot portions of a stocking blank down to the point where the usual toe generally begins.

At that point, the knitting is terminated, whereupon the blank may be removed from the machine and a body portion of separately knitted fabric united to the end of the foot portion of the blank by looping, stitching, or sewing thereto one of the selvedge sections of said body portion, thus forming a seam connection. therebetween, as represented by the line it, which body portion may subsequently be out to shape prior to the formation of the seam connecting the free edges of the blank to complete the stocking.

Instead of uniting the toe fabric body portion to the foot portion by means of the seam connection l0, said toe fabric body portion may be of the instep l and sole 6,

" a run occurring in the toe will not pass into the leg, since it will follow the direction of the Wale attached to said foot portion in the same manner one of the selvedges l I of a previously knitted fabric body portion intended to constitute the V I dinally of the stocking.

toe 1, and thereafter knitting the stocking leg blank from the foot up, in the manner Well known in the art, thus forming an interknitted connec tion I2 between said selvedge H of the fabric body portion forming the toe I and the end course l3 of the instep 4 and sole 6, with the result that intne finished stocking, the wales 8 of the; toe fabric Will run transversely of the stocking, Whereas the wales 9 of said instep and sole and of the leg fabric 3 will run longitudinally of the stocking. Of course, it will be understood that the toe fabric body portion may be cut to shape, as hereinbefore stated, prior to the formation of the seam connecting the free edges of the blank, to complete the stocking.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that in which such run occurs.

It is to be understood that the various possible ,constructions herein set forth may be modified Without departing from the gist of the invention.

Accordingly, any modifications coming within the scope of the subjoined claims are to be considered within the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is: 1. A knitted stocking comprising a weft knittedtransversely of the stocking,

foot portion and toe body portion, the wales of the toe body portion extending transversely of the stocking, and the wales of the foot portion extending longitudinally of the stocking.

2. A knitted stocking comprising a toe body portion of plain weft knitted fabric having its wales running transversely of the stocking, and a foot portion of plain Weft knitted fabric having its wales running longitudinally of the stockmg.

3. In a knitted stocking, interconnected weft knitted toe and foot fabrics, the wales of the toe fabric running transversely of the stocking, andthe wales of the leg fabric running longitu- 4. In a knitted stocking, a weft knitted toe fabric and a'weft knitted foot portion fabric, said fabrics having an interknit connection therebetween, with the wales of the toe fabric running and the wales of the foot portion fabric running longitudinally of the stocking. p v

5. The method of making stockings comprising: weft knitting a toe body portion, weft knitting a leg and foot portion, and connecting one selvedge of the toe body portion with the lower marginal edge of said foot portion, whereby the Wale loops of the toe body portion extend in a direction substantially transversely to the Wale loops of the leg and foot portion.

6. Themethod of making stockings comprising: weft knitting a toe body portion, topping said toe body portion walewise on the needles of a knitting machine, and knitting a stocking leg and foot portion from the foot tinuation of said toe body portion.

'7. In a stocking, a toe consisting entirely of a knitted fabric body portion having its wales disposed to extend transversely across the toe.

DWIGHT J. HARRIS.

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